Students across South Shore paying more in fees

Monday

The Patriot Ledger looked at fees for a dozen school districts in the area and found that half of them are charging more this year. There are no towns without any fees.

Schools across the South Shore are raising fees for sports and after-school clubs.

Lunches are also pricier, and students have to pay more to park and take the bus. Put it all together, and there’s nothing “free” about education anymore.

The Patriot Ledger looked at fees for a dozen school districts in the area and found that half of them are charging more this year. There are no towns without any fees.

A family in Hull can now pay as much as $975 for its kids to play sports. Up until last year, it cost nothing.

Hull High School Principal Michael Devine said the district had no choice after a failed debt exclusion vote in the spring. With no money in the athletic department budget, it was either fees or no sports.

“It was the lesser of two evils,” he said.

In Norwell, a family with more than one child can pay up to $1,600 between sports and bus service. In Milton, the cost for a family can be as high as $1,850.

It is difficult to make a direct comparison across districts because there are a variety of ways fees are charged: per sport, per student, or per year. Some districts use sliding scales based on how many sports or clubs a child participates in.

Schools began charging for “extra” services in the early 1980s as Proposition 21/2 limited communities ability to raise taxes. While school districts get money for education from the state, they still rely most heavily on what is raised locally.

In Marshfield, state education funding only covers half the school department budget, Superintendent Middleton McGoodwin said. With contractual increases in salaries and rising costs for energy, something has to make up the difference.

Fees alone cannot do it, but they help, he said.

“Student fees are the last resort,” McGoodwin said. “People pay taxes, they shouldn’t have to pay fees. We’re very sensitive to that.”

Administrators in Hull also see fees as a temporary fix. And they were careful not to apply them too liberally this year.

In addition to sports, co-curricular activities at the high school such as student government, mock trial and the school yearbook were left un-funded. Volunteers and donations will be needed for those programs to survive.

Many districts will waive fees for needy families, such as those who qualify for free lunch. Districts also often put a cap on how much one family has to pay so that parents with several children in the public schools don’t carry too high a burden.

Administrators say there can be a fallout from too many fees – or those that are set too high. There is a risk that participation may drop, negating any increase in revenue. There is also a fear that too many fees can drive families to private schools.

In Quincy, the price to play most sports is increasing from $50 to $75, and the fee for playing high school football and hockey is doubling. There will be a new $15 user fee to play middle school sports.

Athletic Director Jim Rendle said even though the fees are low compared to other districts, there is a concern that some athletes will choose not to play as a result.

“We’re keeping a close eye on it,” he said.

Jennifer Mann may be reached at jmann@ledger.com.

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Hull: Sports used to be free. Now there is a sliding scale depending on how many sports you play, with a cap of $525 per student and $975 per family.

Marshfield: Each student used to pay $50 per sport. Now each student pays $200 per year, covering all their sports. There is a $400 cap per family. Parking increased from $50 to $70 per semester.

Milton: The price to participate increased from $200 per sport to $250 per sport (hockey is more expensive and there is a family cap).

Norwell: Transportation increased from $250 to $350 per student, with a $600 family cap (up from $450). There was a discount for signing up early.

Quincy: Fewer students are eligible for free bus service. There is a new $20 fee for clubs and organizations. It costs $75 fee to play most high school sports, up from $50 (excluding football and hockey, which are $100 and $200). New $15 fee for middle school sports.

Scituate: Activities, including sports, going from $100 to $200. Lunch from $2.25 to $2.50.

Compiled by Tony Catinella and Jennifer Mann

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FEES AT LOCAL SCHOOLS

Braintree

Lunch: $2 elementary, $2.25 middle school, $2.25 to $2.50 high school

Sports: $150 per sport, $300 family cap

Bus: $180 per child, $250 family cap

Cohasset

Lunch: $2.25 at elementary, $2.50 at Deer Hill, $2.75 at middle/high school

Sports: $250 per sport, $650 cap

Bus: $180 per child, $540 family cap

Hanover

Lunch: $1.75 for elementary and $2 for middle/high school

Sports: $200 per year

Bus: $200 per child

Hingham

Lunch: ticket system

Sports: $175 per year, $350 family cap

Bus: free

Hull

Lunch: $2.50 for elementary, $2.75 for middle/high.

Sports: $200 first sport, $150 second, $100 third ($75 added for football and hockey),

$525 cap per child, $975 cap per family

Bus: free

Marshfield

Lunch: $2.50 per lunch, $225 for a half year, or $450 for full year at middle/high; $2.25 per lunch, $202.50 for half year, or $405 for full year at elementary

Sports: $200 per student, per year (no matter how many sports) with a $400 cap per family

Bus: Free

Parking: $70 per semester

Milton

Lunch: $1.75 to $2.25 (Breakfast $1)

Sports: $250 per sport with $1,250 family cap ($500 for hockey with $1,500 family cap)

Bus: $350 for grades 7-12

Norwell

Lunch: $2.50 for K-5, $2.75 for 6-12.

Sports: $200 per sport (includes activities) family cap of $1,000

Bus: $275 per child, $500 family cap if sign-up before Aug. 5; $350 per child, $600 cap if sign-up later

Activities: $75

Pembroke

Lunch: $2 elementary, $2 to $2.25 high ($1 breakfast)

Sports: $175 per year with $300 family cap

Bus: $180 per year with $280 family cap

Quincy

Lunch: $2 for elementary; $2 for middle/high. (breakfast is $1 system wide).

Sports: $75 for high school (except $100 for football and $200 for hockey); $15 for middle school

Bus: Free

$20 fee for clubs and organizations

Scituate

Lunch: $2.50

Sports: $200 per person

Bus: $265 per child, $485 per family. ( $240 per child, $460 per family if paid before July 15)

Activities: $200

Weymouth

Lunch: $2.25 for primary schools and $2.50 for middle/high (breakfast is 75 cents)

Sports: $200 per sport ($250 football and $400 hockey.)

Bus: $235 for one child, $590 family cap.

Compiled by Tony Catinella and Jennifer Mann

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